Today’s Scrip-Bit    15 September 2023 Genesis 41:41.

15 Sep 2023 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Genesis 41:41. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.

Oh friends, is it truly Friday already? I can’t believe it! But all the joyful shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday and the weekend is here at long last!’ must mean that it’s really Friday. (smile) Where did the week go eh? I don’t know that I’ve done anything of any consequence during this past week. And I guess that’s why it feels like it just sailed by. But although I’m somewhat miffed with myself, I’m not going to let it get me down. I’m just going to enjoy the life Christ died for me to have and suffer whatever consequences are forthcoming. 

And in light of all that, here’s some interesting advice from the September Issue of the In Touch Devotional, which is simply titled ‘Consider This.’ Please read with me: ‘God is a giver. Just as moms and dads enjoy delighting their children. He freely gives us what we need – and more. He doesn’t provide begrudgingly but with pleasure. He doesn’t scramble to find the resources – His supply is endless. But sometimes His provision doesn’t look the way we would expect – or happen when we think it should. So let us approach our generous Father with confidence but also with humility. His wisdom – timing – never fail.’ 

And that’s the God-awesome truth my brethren! Our God’s wisdom and timing are never wrong or late, but always of the best quality, and always right on time! And until we truly believe that, we’ll always be dissatisfied and unhappy. And a great example of accepting God’s wisdom and timing is found in the story of Bruh Joseph. He received God’s dreams, His promises as a teenager, but instead of them simply coming to pass, He had to go through a lot of trial and tribulation, which was necessary for him to reach the stage of maturity so that he could handle the realities of those promises. 

He was sold into slavery by his brothers, unfairly accused of sexual assault and languished in jail until, in God’s opinion, the time was right. And despite all the unfair and unjust stuff, Bruh Joseph kept a good attitude, because he realized that God was always with him, since He gave him favour in all the unfortunate circumstances. And finally, the big day came when the Lord in all His wisdom and glorious timing rolled out the red carpet for a faithful Bruh Joseph. He stood before the mighty Pharaoh and expounded God’s plans, and Pharoah made him his number one adviser! 

But friends, we must understand that that only happened because Bruh Joseph faithfully waited on God’s timing.  And that’s where so many of us go wrong. Although we acknowledge God’s promises, we’re always in a hurry to have them come through. But sometimes, like Bruh Joseph, we’re not ready to handle the great responsibilities involved in the promises, and the Lord has to grow us, which always takes time. Or otherwise, the circumstances are not quite ready, and the Lord has to get them ready. That too takes time. 

But when we do like Bruh David says in Psalm 37:7:  ‘Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for him:’ then He will eventually bring those dreams, those awesome promises to pass. And Bruh Joseph’s life was the perfect example of that. What better reward could he have had on earth than this. ‘And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.’ (Gen. 41:41) There could not have been a better reward or culmination to all of Bruh Joseph dreams and injustice! And that wasn’t all, the Bible tells us that Pharaoh sweetened the pot thus: 

‘And Pharaoh took off his (signet) ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph’s hand, and arrayed him in vestures (clothes) of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck; and he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee (without your consent) shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt. And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphnath–paaneah (probably Egyptian for God speaks and he lives); and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Poti-pherah priest of On. And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.’ (Gen. 41:42-45) 

Oh my fellow saints, how good is our God to us when we are obedient to his bidding and patient in His holy timing! There was nothing more that Bruh Joseph could have had that day! The Lord rewarded him with it all in one fell swoop: Promotion to Pharoah’s number one steward, amazing power over the whole country, good clothes and jewelry, the honour of the people bowing before him, and last but not least, a most likely beautiful wife! What more can a man ask for all in one day eh? Nothing really. But Bruh Joseph fully deserved a good reward for all the injustice he had faithfully borne. 

However, please, let’s not get carried away by the all the pomp and pageantry of the situation, because Bruh Joseph’s real work was just beginning. Hitherto he had been in the school of the Holy Ghost learning his trade, now he had finally graduated and great things were expected from him, like the Lord expects great things from us after we come through the school of hard knocks, ready to do His awesome work. (smile) But more on Bruh Joseph tomorrow, obviously if God’s willing. Now, it’s time to go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, and present our earthly problems for heavenly solutions. 

As one voice: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… because our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving. And it’s obvious we can’t fix them on our own, so Lord, we’re desperately crying out for your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. We therefore ask you Lord to give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly. 

And please help the rest of us to be responsible and to stay safe amidst all the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times. We fervently pray too Lord that you’ll use the discontent and dissatisfaction in our land as a means of restoring faith in you. Return backsliders to your fold. Show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

And if we truly expect divine help, then we’ve got to clean up our acts and keep our promises, for without obedience and godliness, no man shall see God! Much LOVE!

…walking in God’s wisdom…and waiting on His perfect timing…are the two essentials of godly living… 

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ    

Today’s Scrip-Bit   25 August 2023 Psalm 73:3.

25 Aug 2023 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Psalm 73:3.       For I was envious at the foolish (boastful), when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

And after a wet and foggy night, Friday has turned out somewhat sunny, but the cloud cover is still there threatening the blue skies that are peaking out. (smile) But that hasn’t stopped us from zestfully proclaiming: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday and the weekend is here at last!’ And believe me, as August is winding down, there won’t be many more warm and pleasant weekends, as the cold weather begins to take over. But we know that we can handle whatever comes against us, because we have Jesus on our side, and He’s promised never to leave nor forsake us. (Heb. 13:5) Give Him some thanks and praise my brethren, for He is as faithful as the day follows the night. 

Ah friends, as I was perusing the Good Library, looking for something to write on, I came upon Psalm 73, a psalm of Asaph, titled ‘Prosperity of the Wicked.’ It’s one I know, but haven’t read for some time, and it suddenly struck me as being very appropriate for these evil and ungodly times. For it points out how easy it is to lose our faith and fall into evil doings, when we see the wicked prosper in spite of their ungodliness. Now, the scholars have some wonderful explanations on it, so I’ve decided to follow their lead. 

They say: ‘This psalm is another dealing with the problem of the prosperity of the wicked. Unlike Psalm 37, however, it does not emphasize the brevity of that prosperity.’ And Psalm 37 is Bruh David’s famous psalm that says: ‘Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.’ (Ps. 37:1-2) However, the author of Psalm 73, Asaph, ‘observes that sometimes the bounty achieved by the wicked does in fact last throughout life (v.4)’ And we have all seen the wicked prosper throughout their entire lives. 

But Asaph ‘emphasizes every believer’s need to test his own personal relationship with God. That alone provides the ultimate satisfaction available to the believer who witnesses the affluence of the wicked. The psalm contains two key parts, first the psalmist describes the problem of the wicked’s prosperity (vs. 1-16). Not only is it an objective fact (vs. 4-12), but it almost caused him to stumble spiritually and lose his faith (vs. 1-3, 13-16) So now that we have some idea of what the psalm is all about, let’s read it together. 

‘Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean (pure) heart. But as for me, my feet were almost gone (I almost stumbled); my steps had well nigh slipped. For I was envious at the foolish (boastful), when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For there are no bands (pangs, pain) in their death: but their strength is firm. They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plagued like other men. Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain (serves as a necklace); violence covereth them as a garment. 

Their eyes stand out with fatness (bulge with abundance): they have more than their heart could wish. They are corrupt (scoff), and speak wickedly concerning oppression: they speak loftily (proudly). They set their mouth against the heavens: and their tongue walketh through the earth. Therefore his people return hither: and waters of a full cup are wrung out to (drained by) them. And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High? Behold, these are the ungodly who prosper (who are always at ease) in the world; they increase in riches.’ (Ps. 73:1-12)  

Oh my people, haven’t we all seen what Asaph is speaking about in these evil and wicked times, when the rich seek even more than they can ever use, but their greed is so rampant that they are willing to oppress and even kill the poor to satisfy their greedy and lustful desires. And despite their greed, evil deeds and ungodliness, they prosper in this evil and ungodly world. Meanwhile, the righteous are chastened, as Asaph writes. 

‘Verily I have cleansed my heart (kept my heart pure) in vain, and washed my hands in innocency (innocence). For all the day long have I been plagued, and chastened every morning. If I say, I will speak thus: behold I should offend against (would have been untrue to) the generation of thy children. When I thought to know (understand) this, it was too painful for me (troublesome in my eyes); Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.’ (Ps. 73: 13-17) 

Yes my brethren, in spite of Asaph’s righteousness, it was not until he went into the Lord’s sanctuary that he truly understood what was happening! And it can indeed be incomprehensible to many of us who try to live godly, and yet see the wicked prosper in their evil deeds and schemes. But we have to hold on to our faith, and believe as Bruh David says that eventually they will be destroyed. Unfortunately, it might not be in our lifetime, or even theirs, but the Lord has promised to destroy the wicked, and we all know that He’s faithful to keep His promises. 

In the meantime, if we want to stand strong and not fall for, or stumble into the prosperity of the wicked, we also have to take these words of Bruh David very seriously, where he says in Psalm 37: ‘Trust in the Lord and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed (feed on his faithfulness). Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him, and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgement (justice) as the noonday.’ (Ps. 37:4-6) 

And I know that’s all easy to say, but doing it under the shadow of the wicked’s prosperity takes a lot of effort, sacrifice and faithfulness in God. But that’s what we signed up for when we received Jesus as Lord and Saviour. He will make a way, where there seems to be no way, and He will supply all of our needs, and no weapon formed against us will ever prosper, but at the same time we must realize it won’t all be sunshine, lollipops and roses, for no life is ever like that, not even the prosperous wicked. 

And if God spares life, we’ll continue with Psalm 73 tomorrow. Now, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, seeking help to handle all the evil and ungodliness that’s coming against us. As one voice: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough…  because our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving. And it’s obvious we can’t fix them on our own, so Lord, we’re desperately crying out for your help. 

Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. We therefore ask you Lord to give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly. And please help the rest of us to be responsible and to stay safe amidst all the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times. We fervently pray too Lord that you’ll use the discontent and dissatisfaction in our land as a means of restoring faith in you. 

Return backsliders to your fold. Show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’  

Now, it’s up to us to keep our promises, and do our part, so that heaven can do its part! Much LOVE!

…sin is indeed enticing…but are the sure and serious repercussions of sin…truly worth it… 

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ      

Today’s Scrip-Bit   18 August 2023 Psalm 145:8.

18 Aug 2023 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Psalm 145:8.       The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.

Well then, it’s Friday! So ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday and the weekend is here at long last!’ Yes, it’s nice to see Friday come around, but it’s not such a wonderful day in my area, cool, cloudy and very windy. And after the rain, lightning and thunder we had last evening, a cool, cloudy and windy day doesn’t thrill the soul. (smile) But here’s a li’l something from our One Year Book of Bible Promises with writings by Ruth Harms Calkin that ought to thrill our souls. It’s aptly titled ‘A Woman of Compassion.’ 

So please read with me: ‘A woman of compassion seeks first, always first, the kingdom of God and his righteousness, knowing that all else will be given to her. She has one single purpose: to know and do the will of God. Often she narrows her interests in order to expand her heart for others. She says to her troubled friend, “I feel your pain in my heart. I don’t have a cure-all kit, but I will walk through the dark tunnel with you until the light breaks through again.” 

She says to her reserved husband, “I understand that you don’t want to talk now, but I’m here for you if I can help.” She listens to the outbursts of her children in a way that makes them feel secure. She reminds them of their priceless individuality. She opens her home as well as her heart. she knows that a cup of hot tea and an hour of concerned listening means so much more than “We want to have you for dinner some day.” A woman of compassion rests her total self on the reliability of the Word of God. Consequently she does not live in pieces – she lives in peace.’ 

Mama Mia! What a wonderful way to live! Oh, how our world could use so many more people like that woman of compassion. And please note, that story doesn’t only apply to compassionate women, but also to compassionate men. And what do we mean when we talk of compassion? Simply putting our hearts where our mouths are. Instead of just talking sympathy, we do something to alleviate the need. It’s empathy plus. And who’s the most compassionate of us all? 

Obviously our great God! For as Jeremiah puts it so aptly in his Lamentations: ‘It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.’ (Lam. 3:22-23) Yes friends, it’s because of the Lord’s compassion, His empathy and overwhelming LOVE for us that we’re not totally destroyed for our sinful behaviour and disobedience towards Him! And Jesus showed that same overwhelming LOVE for humanity when He walked this earth. 

And there are several examples of where His heart ached for humanity, so let’s look at a few of them, starting with this commentary. ‘God comforts his people with compassion. Jesus Christ, the Messiah, exemplified compassion during his ministry on earth. One of the most poignant examples of compassion in the Bible is when Jesus showed compassion at the grave of Lazarus. When Jesus saw Lazarus’ friends weeping, he wept alongside them (John 11:33-35). And that last verse is probably the shortest verse in the bible, and also one of the most poignant, for all it states is ‘Jesus wept.’ 

Then we have this instance where Jesus was going around the land, teaching, preaching and healing. The Good Library tell us though: ‘But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted (were weary), and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.’ (Matt. 9:36-38) 

Now, if that isn’t sufficient evidence of Jesus’ compassion, then check out this time when he fed the five thousand with five loaves of bread and two small fishes. That’s after He heard of John the Baptist’s beheading by Herod. He went out by boat into a desert place by Himself, but the multitudes followed Him on foot out of the cities. The Bible tells us: ‘And Jesus went forth, and saw the great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.’ (Matt. 14:14) 

And later on, when evening came and the disciples wanted to send the crowd away hungry, Jesus again had compassion on them and performed the miracle of the five loaves and two fishes that fed five thousand men beside women and children, and then they collected twelve baskets of fragments afterwards. (Matt. 14:15-21) And what about that time when Jesus went up into a mountain and sat down there and the multitudes came with their ‘lame, blind, dumb (mute), maimed (crippled), and many others, and cast them down at Jesus’ feet; and he healed them. And when the multitude saw His great deeds, they glorified the God of Israel. 

Then Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days , and have nothing to eat: and I will not send them away fasting (hungry), lest they faint in the way.’ (Matt. 15:29-32) And again the disciples questioned His ability to feed so any people on what little they had. This time they had seven loaves of bread and a few fishes. And after commanding the multitude to sit down, ‘He took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. And they all did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat (fragments) that was left seven baskets full. And they that did eat were four thousand men, beside woman and children.’ (Matt. 15-35-39) 

Ah friends, when we talk of compassion, Jesus is the epitome of that characteristic! And yuh know something else; if we supposed believers would sincerely try to be like Him, as our discipleship demands, our world would be a whole lot better than it currently is. And please remember that it’s only because of the Lord’s great compassion that we’re still alive and kicking, because we certainly don’t deserve it in our own strength and behaviour. And if anybody truly knew of the Lord’s compassion after all his misdeeds, was Bruh David, as he so rightly states in Psalm 145. ‘The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies (compassions) are over all his works.’ (Ps. 145:8-9) 

And that last verse was the Bible verse associated with our ‘Compassionate Woman’ reading earlier on. So please, let’s spend sometime today thinking about our own level of compassion nuh, and sincerely try to improve it, so we can show some true discipleship. Now let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant and ask for help come up higher. Altogether now. ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough…   because our many serious problems are escalating instead of improving. And it’s obvious we can’t fix them on our own, so Lord, we’re desperately crying out for your help. 

Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. We therefore ask you Lord to give our leaders the wise guidance to handle these unexpected storms properly. And please help the rest of us to be responsible and to stay safe amidst all the anxiety and confusion of these ungodly times. We fervently pray too Lord that you’ll use the discontent and dissatisfaction in our land as a means of restoring faith in you. Return backsliders to your fold. Show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. So that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

And having prayed, it’s time to make good on our promises Much LOVE!

…the hallmark of Christ and His family is…COMPASSION… 

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ     

Today’s Scrip-Bit   21 July 2023 Psalm 40:4.

21 Jul 2023 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Psalm 40:4.       Blessed is the man that maketh the Lord his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.

Then it was Friday, with all its fanfare: ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday, and the weekend’s here!’ And though Friday opened a tad on the cool side, it promises great things, like sunshine and blue skies. But beware, the promises of the weather these days are not very trustworthy, what with all the instability and unpredictability that’s showing up in the disaster we term climate change. (smile) 

Promises on the whole in our unfaithful and distrustful society are no longer worth the paper they‘re written on or the wind on which they’re spoken, because most of them are made to serve selfish and evil purposes. They’re not like the promises of Almighty God who faithfully makes them and never breaks them. 

But sadly, even in these trying times, when many things are not what they seem, we still appear to accept the promises of man more than those of God. Even when the biggest human activity today is fraud and deceit, where scams are prevalent in almost everything, where you’re afraid to pick up your phone because the person on the other side is most likely trying to defraud you out of your life savings or some such ungodly act, we still tend to trust humans more than God. 

And then, when we suffer the irreversible damage, we whine and complain about people not being honest and not keeping promises etc. etc. But haven’t we read the Bible, which warns us so often about trusting man and his offspring. Haven’t we read since Moses was a boy, (smile) what Psalm 118 so directly says: ‘It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.’ (Ps. 118:8-9) 

Yes friends, man’s trust can, and will waver, be he an important personage or lowly nobody, simply because he is man; a frail, feeble sinful, greedy and imperfect creation. However, God’s trust will never waver because He is the exact opposite of mankind; strong, holy and perfect! And the Good Library repeats it over and over. So, if you don’t believe me, then let’s look at some of those scriptures which deal directly with the wisdom of trusting God and not man. 

Listen to Bruh David as he writes in Psalm 40 – Praise for God’s Deliverance. ‘I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings (steps). And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord. Blessed is the man that maketh the Lord his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.’ (Ps. 40:1-4) 

There we have it friends, simple and straightforward. You trust in the Lord and He will see you through, because He has the awesome power to do it, whereas mankind doesn’t! Now hear how Isaiah puts it. ‘Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help, and stay (rely) on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the Lord… Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit. When the Lord shall stretch out his hand, both he that helpeth shall fall, and he that is holpen (helped) shall fall (perish) together.’ (Is. 31:1, 3) 

That was the Lord’s rebuke to Israel for going down to Egypt for help to fight their enemies without first consulting Him. Then Jeremiah calls it this way. ‘Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man (man’s strength), and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord. For he shall be like the heath (a shrub) in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited.’ (Jer. 17:5-6) 

Ah mih people, yuh see how the Lord is mightily displeased when we don’t come to Him first in all our endeavours, when we don’t show Him the amazing trust that He deserves! And these words of psalm 146, serve as a fitting end to our scriptures for today.

 ‘Praise ye the Lord (shout Hallelujah), Praise ye the Lord, O my soul. While I live I will praise the Lord: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being. Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man (a human being), in whom there is no help (salvation). His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish. Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God: Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever.’ (Ps. 146:1-6) 

Now there’s a perfect picture of the wise man! Please my fellow saints, it’s of the utmost importance, especially in these untrustworthy times, that we don’t put our trust in evil and fragile man, but in the Lord God Almighty who created us and always has our best interests at heart. So, let’s go to the throne of grace now, and through our Friday Chant, ask for divine help to solve our many problems. 

Altogether now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the confusion and anxiety caused by the pandemic and our many other serious problems. We can’t fix them on our own Lord, so we desperately need your help. 

Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, without further serious setbacks. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe. 

And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to return backsliders to your fold, show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic, the bubbling discontent and dissatisfaction in our land, as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

And as always, the best way to get divine help is by changing our ways and becoming obedient to God’s will. Much LOVE!

…trust should only be placed in the trustworthy…that’s God and not man…

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ          

Today’s Scrip-Bit   14 July 2023 Revelation 21:5b.

14 Jul 2023 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Revelation 21:5b.       And he (Jesus) said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

Well, another Friday has rolled around, and all the shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ have been rolled out! But the world still spins on its axis every 24 hours, and regardless of how it might seem with all the confusion and controversy currently existing, the Lord is still in control of the universe that He created from nothing, so long ago! Now that’s the reality of the situation, and until you recognize and acknowledge that, you will have a warped and incorrect of vision of life. And all God’s people said a loud and proud ‘Amen!’ (smile) 

But it’s the truth friends, until we recognize and acknowledge Almighty God as Creator and Controller of our universe, we’ll be living in a fairy tale world, and not a particularly nice one at that. You’ll be forever plagued by doubts and anxieties, because you’ll never be sure of what’s happening around you, and what to believe, what’s the truth of the situation, and thus you’ll be easily led astray, down the wide and destructive path promoted by the enemy. 

But when you believe, put your trust in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, surrender your soul to His Son Jesus Christ, who came down from heaven and sacrificed His sinless life to save yours from being drafted into the pit of hellfire and damnation, then your senses will be quietened, whatever circumstances that surround you won’t bother you as much, because then you will have the faithful promise of Jesus, through the Holy Spirit that indwells you, to help you handle them. 

Wow! Yes friends, then you’ll know the truth, because Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and no man comes unto the Father, than by and through Him! (John 14:6) And once you know that truth my fellow believers, that enormous truth will set you free from all the nonsense that’s happening in our world. For as Jesus also faithfully promised: ‘If ye continue (abide) in my word, then ye are my disciples indeed: And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’ (John 8:31-32) 

But there’s the crux of the matter: to know the truth we have to abide, live by His word, be His true and sincere disciples. And that’s not always easy to do, for here’s what Jesus had to say about becoming His disciple. ‘If any man will come after (follow) me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.’ (Luke 9:23) Now that’s obviously a tough row to hoe, because it can be filled with sacrifices, while denying oneself and giving up control of your life to the desires and demands of Christ’s plan. 

And though it’s not easy, it is the most beneficial and rewarding way to live this earthly life. Jesus won’t ever leave you alone, He faithfully promised that when he said to the disciples: ‘and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.’ (Matt. 28:20b) That means He’ll look after you through His Holy Spirit that indwells you as a Comforter, Guide and Leader. And furthermore, He won’t ask you to do anything without giving you the grace, the mercy, strength, whatever you need to do it. He’ll never allow you to suffer more than you can bear, but will always find a way for you to escape the situation, or handle it with His mighty help! 

And above all, if you endure to the end with Christ, being a sincere disciple, abiding in Him, while He abides in you, then you can look forward to a glorious life everlasting with Him, in whatever wonderful place He decides to spend it, instead of being shunted off to the depths of hell with Satan and his evil cronies. And believe me, eternal life with our Triune God will be marvellous. Let’s take a peek at the basics. 

John the Revelator writes: ‘And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he (Jesus) said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.’ (Rev. 21:1-5) 

Wow mih bredrin! What a beautiful end to this miserable, hard-scrabble life that so many of us go through! But it will all be worth it in the end if we endure with Jesus! Can you imagine a world with no more, pain, crying, suffering and death! Mama Mia! That alone makes it worthwhile, not to mention living in the eternal presence of our God. 

Just think about the amount of pain, tears and ‘sufferation’ that’s currently enveloping our world nuh…and it tears apart your heart for most of it is unnecessary, and it’s simply man’s inhumanity to man, making countless millions mourn in an earthly hell. But when you live for Jesus, though you might need to undergo some suffering for His sake, the end rewards will indeed justify the pain of this earthly life. So, let’s be wise and live sincerely for Jesus now, so that we can bask in the sunshine of His marvellous glow later on. 

And to help us do that, let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, seeking divine help to handle our current earthly problems. Altogether now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the confusion and anxiety caused by the pandemic and our many other serious problems. We can’t fix them on our own Lord, so we desperately need your help. 

Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, without further serious setbacks. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe. 

And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to return backsliders to your fold, show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic, the bubbling discontent and dissatisfaction in our land, as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

And if we truly desire to receive positive help from heaven, then we must first improve our disobedient, ungodly ways. It’s as simple as that! Much LOVE!

…the ends of living for Jesus…certainly justify the means…  

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ     

Today’s Scrip-Bit   7 July 2023   1 John 2:15a.

07 Jul 2023 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

1 John 2:15a.      LOVE not the world, neither the things that are in the world.

Finally it’s Friday, and as always, the shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ resonate around the world, possibly with a more grateful heart but less energy in North America after all the exuberant birthday celebrations of the last week. (smile) But now that the celebrations are over, it’s time to move on, move on seriously with wisdom and common sense, and return our world to a state of goodness and godliness without which we’ll just keep slithering down into the bowels of hell, for the evil that’s encumbering the world carries a heavy weight, and with each day that evil predominates, the weight increases. 

And simple logic decrees that our world cannot withstand the ever-increasing weight of sin and evil forever. Now, we all know that it’s the duty of the Christian believer to bring Christ and His good news to the world, which unfortunately, we are not doing at a meaningful rate, thus evil and all its negative associates have become ever so prevalent. 

But that negative and unalluring situation can certainly be forestalled, stopped in its deadly tracks, and our world turned around if we decide to get up and do the job we were placed in this time to do; that is be the salt of the earth and light of the world and show the unbelievers the immense value of knowing Christ and living exclusively for Him. 

Now, yesterday we looked at some scriptures that offer encouragement and show us how to reverse the unwanted situation in which we find ourselves. Today, I want us to look at a few more scriptures that can also help in that monumental but oh so possible with Christ task. Remember, the first lesson we must learn and sincerely believe is that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us! (Phil 4:13) That is the foundation of the whole process. If we don’t sincerely believe that, then we’re wasting our time trying to make a difference. 

Then the next thing is a scripture we shared yesterday, where Bruh Paul warned the Romans. ‘Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.’ (Rom. 12:2) Oh friends, that’s another very important step we need to take in this turnaround situation. We need to stop thinking and acting like the world does, and behave like Christ wants us to.  

Let’s also remember that time is of the utmost importance, for we don’t know when Christ is going to return, but whenever He does, we need to be ready, to have as many people as possible ready and waiting for His return, and right now that number is way too small. The Lord has waited, is still waiting for that number to increase, but His patience won’t last forever. 

As Peter says: ‘The Lord is not slack concerning his promises, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief (robber) in the night, in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up,’ (2 Pet. 3:9-10) 

That’s at the final judgement friends, not at the rapture of the church. However, we notice a couple things there; first that the Lord doesn’t want any of His creation to perish, thus He’s given them the choice of salvation, of trusting in Him, but we’ve got to get the word to them so they can receive it. Secondly, He’s holding back the day of reckoning so that as many people as possible can be saved, but one day Jesus will return for the rapture of the church, and one day He will return for the eventual judging of the world. 

However, both those climactic events will take place without warning, like a thief in the night, therefore we need to be in a constant state of readiness for whenever it happens. And that’s something we need to make the unbelievers very aware of, time is oh so important, that there can be no hemming and hawing and long moments of thinking about being saved. But enough wandering, (smile) let’s get back to scriptures that will enable us to renew our minds, throw off the old man, our old conduct, and put on the new man, created in righteousness and true holiness (Eph. 4:22-24) 

John, in his first epistle, puts it thus. ‘LOVE not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man LOVE the world, the LOVE of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh (physical desires), and the lust of the eyes (personal desires), and the pride of life (self-interest), is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof, but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.’ (1 John 2:15-17) 

Now that’s something we need to pay much more attention to; the world and all therein, all the glitzy, glamourous things that are now holding our rapt attention pass away; but the things of Christ, and those who live for Him, don’t. They last forever. Now do we want to be amongst the things that pass away, or amongst those that live forever? That’s the question we all must answer on an individual basis, and let’s hope and pray that many, most of us will decide to live forever and then get out there into the fields that are white with a great harvest of unbelievers and begin harvesting them, as the Lord of the harvest, Jesus Christ has decreed we do! 

Now let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, and lay our anxieties before our most merciful and gracious Creator. Altogether now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the confusion and anxiety caused by the pandemic and our many other serious problems. We can’t fix them on our own Lord, so we desperately need your help. 

Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, without further serious setbacks. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe. 

And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to return backsliders to your fold, show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic, the bubbling discontent and dissatisfaction in our land, as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

The next move is now in our court; do the things that will cause God to answer our prayers in a positive manner. Much LOVE!

…good will always overcome evil…but it must first be set in motion… 

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ  

Today’s Scrip-Bit   30 June 2023 Revelation 3:19.

30 Jun 2023 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Revelation 3:19.      As many as I LOVE, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

Well friends, sorry that we’re somewhat late today, but I had some time sensitive errands to run out the street this morning. And the truth be told, they only became time sensitive because I’ve been putting them off all week and couldn’t put them off any longer. I believe that’s called procrastination. And the errands took me longer than I expected, then, when I finally got home, I had to rest a spell before getting to the Bit, which I hope will be short and sweet. (smile) 

And believe me, the shout of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ was especially loud across Canada today, because it’s not only the end of the work week and the end of June, but that means it’s also the Canada Day long weekend when we celebrate Canada’s illustrious birth and history! Wow! On July 1 we commemorate the anniversary of the Constitution Act, which consolidated three territories into the single nation of Canada, way back in 1867. And yes, our history is comparatively short in contrast to other countries, but it’s been a colorful, turbulent, exciting and fulfilling one. 

Not many other countries can boast of the peace, the diversity and kind-heartedness that underlies its turbulence. Even to this day, we’re more prone to peace than war, and though we’re not free of serious problems, we choose to handle them in a less rambunctious and aggressive manner than many other countries today. Anyway, enough of singing the praises of Canada. We’re far from perfect, but we’re still one of the best big countries in the world! Glory Be! 

And since I had nothing specific to talk about today, I opened the Good Library, looking for guidance, and it didn’t disappoint me. It never does! It opened unto the Book of Job to chapter 5; where Job’s friend Eliphaz is speaking these immortal words: ‘Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty: For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole.’ (Job 5:17-18) 

And that’s the gospel truth my fellow believers! Our God LOVES us too much to allow us to get away with all the shenanigans that we indulge in. It’s just like we parents correct our children when they do wrong. There are various methods of correcting, but the aim is always to bring them to heel with LOVE! We oftentimes call that Tough LOVE. Well, it’s the same way our God looks at our behaviour and decides how to correct our ungodly or disobedient behaviour. As the ole people so nicely put it: if you don’t hear, you will feel. That’s a godly metaphor. (smile) 

And the sad part is that too many parents of our generation didn’t use that tough LOVE on our children, that’s why so many of them are so ungodly and disobedient now. And we only have ourselves to blame for all the nonsense they are carrying on with now. Our children don’t like us correcting them, neither do we like it when the Lord corrects us in a manner that hurts either our pride or physical person, but it’s ever so necessary to keep us on the straight and narrow path, so we don’t veer on to the wide and winding one that leads to hellfire and damnation. 

And there are several scriptures in the Good Library that tell us basically the same thing. So, let’s look at a few of them. This first one comes from Psalm 94, titled, ‘Vengeance Belongs to the Lord, and says: ‘The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity (futile). Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest (instructeth), O Lord, and teachest him out of thy law. That thou mayest give him rest (relief) from the days of adversity, until the pit be digged for the wicked.’ (Ps. 94:11-13) 

Yes friends, the Lord looks out for us. He knows our sinful and futile thoughts and instead of letting us go down that wrong road, pulls us back, and guides us safely to His word. We might not like it, but it’s in our best interest. (smile) Then there are these monumental words of Cousin Sol in that monumental Chapter 3 of Proverbs. ‘My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his corrections: For whom the Lord LOVETH he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.’ (Prov. 3:11-12) 

Words of indisputable truth and wisdom, my people! Words we should take to heart and remember every time the Lord corrects us, it’s because He LOVES us! And the author of Hebrews must have known those words, for many years later He reminds his readers of them in his own way. ‘And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children (sons), My son, despise not thou the chastening (discipline) of the Lord, nor faint (be discouraged) when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord LOVETH, he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.’ (Heb. 12:5-6) 

And I hope hearing it once more in an even tougher manner, will set it deep in our hearts, so that we won’t rebel when the Lord disciplines us. And the last word on the subject comes quite appropriately from Jesus in His message to the church at Laodicea. He warns: ‘As many as I LOVE, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.’ (Rev. 3:19) Now we couldn’t conclude with a more appropriate scripture. So let’s do exactly what Jesus said and repent. Let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant and release all our heartfelt pain, while asking for divine help. 

Altogether now: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the confusion and anxiety caused by the pandemic and our many other serious problems. We can’t fix them on our own Lord, so we desperately need your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. 

So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, without further serious setbacks. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe. And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to return backsliders to your fold, show them the error of their ways. 

And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic, the bubbling discontent and dissatisfaction in our land, as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

Now let’s get busy and do what we know we have to do to entail heavenly help! Much LOVE!

…if you don’t correct me when I do wrong…it means you don’t LOVE me… 

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ     

Today’s Scrip-Bit   23 June 2023 Luke 9:23.

23 Jun 2023 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Luke 9:23.      If any man will come after me (desires to follow me), let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

And our beloved day of Friday has been greeted all over the globe with glorious shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ But I’m wondering, are we truly thankful to Almighty God for the day, or are we just mouthing something that shows up the selfish lusts of our flesh. I tend to believe it’s the latter, since we are only enamoured of Friday because it means that our work week is almost over. We obviously don’t say ‘Thank God it’s Monday!’ because Monday is the beginning of the bane of our existence; work. (smile) 

Ah friends, because of all the amenities that our advanced society has provided us, we have lost the wonderful elements of belly and backbone that our forefathers had so much of, and needed it to survive each and every day of their lives. Nowadays we’ve become so soft and mamby pamby that we complain about every little difficulty that comes our way. Life has become too easy for us, and that ease has made us frail, fragile, whiny and ever complaining. beings. We give up on a problem way too easily. Remember the parable Jesus spoke unto His listeners, that men ought always to pray and not to faint or lose heart. (Luke 18:1) 

But who’s listening to Jesus these days eh? Not too many of us, because His way entails walking on the straight and narrow path, but we, with our sinful flesh, like the broad and winding road that leads to destruction. No wonder so many of us shy away from being true disciples of Christ in these supposed modern times, we just can’t handle the level of difficulty, and self-sacrifice it might entail. For as Jesus said: ‘If any man will come after me (desires to follow me), let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.’ (Luke 9:23) 

And in real life, those few words say quite a lot my people! It’s a big undertaking and we should not determine to follow it until and unless we see exactly what it entails. And as one commentator says: ‘To be a disciple of Jesus, He advises us to sit down and calculate the cost to see if we want to truly follow him. Jesus cannot simply be our Savior. He must also be the Lord of our lives. We must devote ourselves to him fully.’ And isn’t that the gospel truth. 

So, the initial stage is to weigh the pros and cons of following Jesus and see if we have the necessary parts to do so. As Jesus says: ‘For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?’ (Luke 14:28) Therefore, we must first do our due diligence. Then, after weighing all the pros and cons, we must make a sure decision to follow Christ. And the first thing that entails is denying oneself. We have to stop focusing on ourselves and focus on God and what He desires of us. 

For ‘Focusing on the self is the opposite of focusing on God. Anyone completely absorbed in self-ignores God, ends up thinking more about self than God. That person ignores who God is and what he is doing.’ And Bruh Paul tells us in Romans: ‘For they that are after the flesh do mind (set their minds on) the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then, they that are in the flesh cannot please God.’ (Rom. 8:5-8) 

That means if we keep on being selfish and think about the things of the flesh that our carnal mind obviously likes, we cannot serve Christ. And so doing, we die daily to ourselves. Which, as John wrote in his first epistle involves having the LOVE of Christ in us. ‘Hereby perceive we the LOVE of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world’s good (goods), and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion (heart) from him, how dwelleth the LOVE of God in him?’ (1 John 3:16-17) 

So we need to show the LOVE of Christ by daily sacrificing where necessary, offering ourselves on our own cross, like Jesus did, for ‘the cross is an agent of death.’ Then it’s absolutely necessary that we follow Jesus, which means let him direct our lives, show us where He wants us to go and what He needs us to do on His behalf. What did He say when He called the first disciples: ‘Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ (Matt. 4:19) That means to do as He says and as He does, to follow in His footsteps. 

As this commentary tells us: ‘Discipleship is a personal, passionate devotion to a person, not to principles or doctrines or cause. It’s a devotion to Christ first, then devotion to His teaching because of an existing personal passionate devotion to the person of Christ. Surrender and dependence on Christ.’ Yes, it’s all about Christ my people! That’s why Jesus said to those who believed in Him. ‘If you continue (abide) in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed. And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’ (John 8:31-32) 

It’s only when we truly abide in, live by His word are we truly His disciples. As He said again: ‘This is my commandment, That ye LOVE one another, as I have LOVED you. Greater LOVE, hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatever I command you.’ (John15:12-14) That means simply doing whatever He commands us to do, which encompasses an overwhelming devotion to Him that shows up in these statements. 

‘If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren (brothers), and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.’ (Luke 14:26-27) Now obviously that doesn’t mean truly hating our family and ourselves, but simply willing to forsake them for His cause. No, following Christ is not easy, but as I keep saying, if you’re sincere, He will help you through the difficult times, and your life will be mucho interesting and adventurous, and worth every bit of the sacrifice. 

And I Hope that gives us a li’l background on what true discipleship in Christ’s ministry entails.(smile) Now let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, seeking divine help to handle our many earthly problems. As one voice: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the confusion and anxiety caused by the pandemic and our many other serious problems. We can’t fix them on our own Lord, so we desperately need your help. 

Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, without further serious setbacks. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe. 

And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to return backsliders to your fold, show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic, the bubbling discontent and dissatisfaction in our land, as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

And if we expect to receive divine help, then we’ve got to clean up our act, starting…RIGHT NOW! Much LOVE!

…to be a true disciple of Jesus…takes a lot of belly and backbone… 

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ         

Today’s Scrip-Bit   16 June 2023 Proverbs 3:9.

16 Jun 2023 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Proverbs 3:9.       Honour the Lord with thy substance (possessions), and with the first fruits of all thine increase:

And then it was Friday, and everybody shouted the same old, same old mantra: ‘Thank God it’s Friday and the work week is almost done! The weekend is here for playing and partying!’ Please note that nobody mentioned anything about going to church and fellowshipping and worshipping Almighty God. But we’ll take that for granted, as it being a normal, expected weekend behaviour, that doesn’t need shouting out loud. (smile) 

And after some early morning showers, Friday in my area has turned out somewhat sunny, but cool and windy with some dark clouds hovering overhead, threatening some more heavenly blessings. Remember the other day when we were dying for heavenly blessings? Well now we’re getting more than we possibly want. Raising up the ole cliché of being careful what you wish for, because when you get it you might not like it. 

Now, today I want to continue sharing some tidbits of scripture on money and how to and how not to use it. And the first scripture comes from Cousin Sol reputedly the wisest and richest man ever. He says in Proverbs: ‘Honour the Lord with thy substance (possessions), and with the first fruits of all thine increase: So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses (vats) shall burst out with new wine.’ (Prov. 3:9-10) 

And this follows directly from the Lord’s command in Leviticus. ‘And all the tithe (tenth part) of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the fruit of the tree, is the Lord’s, it is holy unto the Lord…And concerning the tithe of the herd, or of the flock, even of whatsoever passeth under the rod, the tenth shall be holy unto the Lord…These are the commandments, which the Lord commanded Moses for the children of Israel on Mount Sinai.’ (Lev. 27: 30, 32, 34) 

Yes friends, the Lord commanded from long ago that His take for owning the earth and all therein, and leasing it out to mankind, was ten percent, and please note it’s the first ten percent, not the last. It’s the first fruits. We give God His share right off the top, not wait until we’ve done what we want then give Him of what’s left. 

This led the Lord in the book of Malachi to tell the people they were robbing Him. He tells them: ‘Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings? Ye are cursed: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat (food) in mine house, and prove (test) me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it. 

And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground, neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time (fall to bear fruit) in the field, saith the Lord of hosts. And all nations shall call you blessed: for ye shall be a delightsome (delightful) land, saith the Lord of hosts.’ (Mal. 3:8-12) 

Oh my people, right there is the solution for a blessed land; giving the Lord what rightfully belongs to Him! And how our world would change for the better if we turned back to God, or even those who still believe will tithe and give God what’s His, instead of playing stingy and barely giving Him what He deserves. 

Oh brother… and I’m sadly chuckling here because I was going to say that I’ve never experienced a day like this when almost every sentence I’ve written had several misspelt words, and that was true of the first one in this sentence. I wrote ‘Brither instead of Brother.’ 

And they are mostly simple, everyday words…and chuh man, I just misspelled simple and misspelled misspelled twice in that sentence…and when I thought I had misspelled misspelled a third time, I spelled times wrong too! Ah Lord eh! There must be a reason for my propensity to misspell today, but I don’t know what it is. (smile) 

But getting back to those scriptures on money. Listen to this most interesting one from Bruh Paul to Timothy. ‘Charge (command) them that are rich in this world (present age), that they be not highminded (haughty), nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy. That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute (give), willing to communicate (share). Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on eternal life.’ (1 Tim. 6:17-19) 

So friends, although Jesus said it was difficult for a rich man to enter heaven, (Matt. 19:23) He never said it was impossible, and here Bruh Paul is advising Timothy to command rich people to give generously of what they possess, so that it might be accounted to them for good in heaven. And so should all of us be generous, be we rich or poor, but with the right motives, the right state of our hearts, not just to hope that it helps us get into heaven. As Jesus spoke of a widow’s sacrificial offering, while sitting in the temple with His disciples. 

The Bible says: ‘He looked up, and saw the rich men casting (putting) their gifts into the treasury. And he saw a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites (small copper coins worth very little). and he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all: For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings: but she of her penury (poverty) hath cast in all the living (livelihood) she had.’ (Luke 21:1-4) 

Yes, ofttimes sacrificial giving is more recognized than giving from mere abundance. As the scholars says: ‘God does not measure giving by conventional human standards.’ And also, we ought not to flaunt our giving, as Jesus said, let not the left hand know what the right is doing (Matt. 6:3-4) That means, as this commentary informs: ‘We should never do our giving in order to be seen by, and subsequently, to be praised by others. In other words, we do not want to give because of what we might get from it—like others thinking more highly of us or paying us compliments, or to receive some special treatment because of our giving.’ 

And with those words of wisdom let’s go to the throne of grace, through our Friday Chant, for divine help to fix our many earthly problems. As one voice: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the confusion and anxiety caused by the pandemic and our many other serious problems. We can’t fix them on our own Lord, so we desperately need your help. 

Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, without further serious setbacks. And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe. 

And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to return backsliders to your fold, show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic, the bubbling discontent and dissatisfaction in our land, as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’  

And if we’re seriously looking for divine help, then we need to make those changes necessary for them to be forthcoming. Much LOVE!

…the more we give…from a generous heart…the more we will receive… 

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ      

Today’s Scrip-Bit   2 June 2023   2 Chronicles 33:13b.

02 Jun 2023 Leave a comment

by randyobrien50 in Christian Thoughts and Inspiration., Daily Devotion, Daily Inspiration, Inspirational Living, Spiritual Living Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

2 Chronicles 33:13b.      Then Manasseh knew that the Lord he was God.

And then it was Friday… and the shouts of ‘TGIF! Thank God it’s Friday!’ reverberate around the world. But in my neck of the woods there are also shouts of ‘Summertime! True summer weather at last!’ Then in the background comes another shout of a somewhat different nature: ‘O Lord, it so hot! Turn on the A.C! Please turn on the A.C!’ And that last one was my shout yesterday as the summer heat descended upon us with a vengeance. By yesterday afternoon all the A.Cs in the neighborhood were merrily humming along. 

I was amazed that the temperature in the family room was 80 degrees Fahrenheit, which meant it was even hotter in the bedrooms upstairs, where I intended to relax for a spell. Meanwhile the basement is as cool and comfortable as ever. One would think that the higher you went, the cooler it would become, but apparently not. Thank goodness the Duchess wasn’t at home then, because turning on the A.C is one of the things we bicker over a lot of the time. 

Yuh see, she spends a lot of her day on the main floor, which is never as hot as the bedrooms upstairs where I spend most of my afternoons, and which for whatever reason, are always hotter than downstairs. And surprisingly, she never uttered one word of dissent when she came home. Perhaps after being out in the hot sun, she was thankful to come home to a cool house. (smile)  But enough of my marriage peculiarities, let’s see what the Lord wants us to talk about today. 

And the Good Library opened unto the Book of 2nd Chronicles, where it talks about the reign of certain kings of Israel, in particular that of Manasseh. It says: ‘Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem (the longest of any king). But did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, like unto the abominations of the heathen, whom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel. For he built again the high places (places for pagan worship) which Hezekiah his father had broken down, and he reared up altars for Baailim, and made groves (wooden images), and worshipped all the host of heaven (the gods of the Assyrians), and served them. 

Also he built altars in the house of the Lord, whereof the Lord had said, In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever. And he built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the Lord. And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom: also he observed times (practiced soothsaying), and used enchantments (witchcraft), and used witchcraft (sorcery), and dealt with a familiar spirit (consulted mediums), and with wizards (spiritists): he wrought much evil in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger. 

And he set a carved image, the idol which he had made, in the house (temple) of God, of which God had said to David and to Solomon his son, In this house and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen before all the tribes of Israel, will I put my name for ever.’ (2 Chr. 33:1-7) 

Can you imagine Manasseh engineering that complete turning away from God, even to the desecration of God’s house, after the godly reign of his father Hezekiah. The scholars explain it thus: ‘The wickedness of Manasseh, the son of the godly Hezekiah, emphasizes the need for parents to communicate personal godliness to their children. Children must make their own personal choice for God and not depend simply on their parents’ relationship to God.’ 

And that’s the gospel truth! But unfortunately, not every child who sees a godly relationship in their parents, will naturally follow that path. As the ole people would say, you make the children, but you don’t make their minds. And it’s obvious that Hezekiah didn’t influence Manasseh’s mind as per the relationship with God. The Book of Chronicles then continues: ‘So Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, and to do worse than the heathen, whom the Lord had destroyed before the children of Israel. And the Lord spake to Manasseh, and to his people: but they would not hearken.’ (2Chr. 33:9-10) 

Oh friends, that is exactly what’s happening in our world today. We have gone astray from God, even to the point of trying to remove Him completely from our society, which of course will never happen, and He’s desperately trying to bring us back to His fold before even more disastrous disasters befall us, because disaster always befalls the disobedient and ungodly. It’s just a matter of time. The Lord’s promised it all throughout His word. The wicked will be destroyed. 

Why can’t we believe him eh, and turn from our evil ways? Is it because of obstinate and stubborn pride? But remember too, that the Lord hates pride with a passion, because it means you think you don’t need Him. The saying that pride goes before a fall, is also gospel truth. And if you don’t believe me, just listen to what happened to the wicked Manasseh and his people. ‘Wherefore the Lord brought upon them the captains of the host of the king of Assyria, which took Manasseh among the thorns (with nose hooks), and bound him with fetters (bronze chains), and carried him to Babylon.’ (2 Chr. 33:11) 

Yes friends, we all get our comeuppance eventually. But why is it that we can’t listen to the many warnings, but have to go through all the tribulation before we wake up to the reality of the situation like Manasseh did eh? The Bible tells us: ‘And when he (Manasseh) was in affliction, he besought the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. And prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord he was God.’ (2 Chr. 33:12-13) 

I don’t understand it. There’s so much proof that the wicked suffer and are eventually destroyed but yet we still turn to evil, that is until the truth of God’s word hits us where it really hurts. It’s like the Babylonian King, Nebuchadnezzar, in the Book of Daniel, who thought he was so great, walking in the wonderful palace that he built, until the Lord pulled him down, drove him crazy, and had him eating grass for seven years until he woke up and smelled the coffee, and said: ‘Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgement (justice): and those that walk in pride he is able to abase (humble).’ (Dan. 4:37) 

Now, if a pagan king can make such a statement and apparently mean it, why can’t we supposed believers do the same eh, and live it? I don’t know, but please, wisdom dictates that we go to the throne of grace right now, through our Friday Chant and ask for divine help and understanding to deal with our current untenable situation. 

As one voice: ‘Oh Lord, thanks for getting me safely through this past week. You know it’s been rough… what with all the confusion and anxiety caused by the pandemic and our many other serious problems. We can’t fix them on our own Lord, so we desperately need your help. Oh heavenly Father, with your omnipotent help, and our trusting faith, we know that we can stand strong and steadfast and defeat the simmering unrest in our land. So Lord, we sincerely ask you today to give those involved in the forefront of this serious and unexpected storm, the wise guidance to handle the situation properly, without further serious setbacks. 

And please help those of us who must go out to work amidst all the confusion, to be responsible and to stay safe. And Lord, we fervently pray that You’ll use this situation to return backsliders to your fold, show them the error of their ways. And please introduce a new flock of believers, who will embrace your LOVE and compassion by the example, we, your faithful believers set. Yes Lord, please use this pandemic, the bubbling discontent and dissatisfaction in our land, as a means of restoring faith in You, so that our sinful world can wake up and smell the coffee, wake up and smell it sweet and strong! We pray this in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Amen!’ 

And if we truly want to receive divine help, then we’ve truly got to change our evil ways and become obedient to God! Much LOVE!

…if yuh don’t hear…you will certainly feel… 

 Hear our podcast at https://open.spotify.com/show/3aVfqIC1CqwGybISs9dZ      

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